This is a still from an animation showing the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's ultimate target, the "Columbia Hills," from various angles including a Spirit's-eye-view, a fly-over view, a horizon view and a counterclockwise view circling to the south and north of the hills. The Columbia Hills are an intriguing target because they are older than the plains and may give scientists more clues to Mars' past. To successfully reach and examine the hills, Spirit must continue to perform above the original expectations of scientists and engineers. The elevation model in this animation was made using two images from the camera onboard NASA's Mars Global Surveyor.
Name | Value | Additional Values |
---|---|---|
Target | Mars | |
System | ||
Target Type | Planet | |
Mission | Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) | Mars Exploration Rover (MER) |
Instrument Host | Mars Global Surveyor | Spirit (MER-A) |
Host Type | Orbiter | Rover |
Instrument | Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) | |
Detector | ||
Extra Keywords | Color | |
Acquisition Date | ||
Release Date | 2004-05-07 | |
Date in Caption | ||
Image Credit | NASA/JPL/MSSS/USGS | |
Source | photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05874 | |
Identifier | PIA05874 |